The present invention relates generally to surgical instruments and more particularly to a surgical retractor used in laparoscopic surgery for manipulating and holding into position organs and structures to make various surgical procedures possible and more easily performed.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that tools are needed to manipulate and secure organs and other body structures during surgical procedures. Such tools, commonly known in the art as retractors, have proven very useful for many years and are use extensively for open surgical procedures such as bowel resections. It will further be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the popularity of minimal invasive or laparoscopic surgery has risen, with many procedures previously performed through open and fully exposed surgical fields now being done by use of endoscopes and instruments manipulated through small diameter cannulas placed into the body. Even with this rise in the number of laparoscopic surgeries, retractors which can perform the traditional functions of organ and tissue manipulation are still needed.
Unfortunately, prior art retractors consisted of handles rigidly attached to variously shaped blades. These blades were designed to be slipped behind the lung, for example, so that it could be raised or otherwise manipulated to allow a procedure to be performed on the posterior of the lung which would not have been possible otherwise. With such designs, retractors could not be effectively used in connection with laparoscopic procedures.
What is needed, then, is a retractor for use in connection with laparoscopic procedures, including the ability to be passed through a small diameter cannula and into the desired body cavity. This retractor must also be easy to use and manufacture. Such a device is presently lacking in the prior art.